Improvement in locks



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l l Immfwf y M AM. PHUI'G-LITHD. C0. N.Y. (OSEDRNES PROCESS() IINHED STATES PATIENT @throng l THOMAS G. HAROLD, OF BROOKLYN7 ASSIGNOR To HIMSELF AND CHARLES PERLEY, on New YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 36.124, dated August 5, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS G. HAROLD, of Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Locks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is an exterior elevation of a padlock fitted with my improvement. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same with one of the side plates removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of said lock, and Fig. 4 is a section through the umblers at the place for inserting thebolt or asp. y

Similaimarksv of reference denote the same parts.

Tumblers for locks have heretofore been made by theemploymentoftwo or more circular plates with a notch in one portion of the periphery to take the bolt or hasp. These, however, have either been turned separately, thereby allowing iirst one to be set and then another, or else one disk has been used as the means for setting another. In all instances, however, the position of the slot or notch could be determined with comparative ease if the parts could be brought into contact by a slight play or end motion to the bolt.

The nature of my said invention consists in the employment of two or more concentric tumblers, one or more of which is provided with a pipe-shaped arbor passing the arbor of the other tumbler,whereby the turning ofone tumbler, tending to move the other, prevents one tumbler being set at a time; and the two tumbler-arbors being together, it is nearlyimpossible by feeling or sound to determine which one may be correctly placed for unlocking, and hence the lock is rendered very secure against the efforts of any person to open the same without knowing the exact combination upon which it was locked up; and I provide vfor changing thecombination by varying the point of connection of the tumblers with the spindles when the lock is open; andI employ flanges on said tumblers, whereby a haspsucll as is .used in a padlock or trunk-lockcan be held within the lock by the operation of said flanged tumblers; and I introduce decoy or blind notches around said flanges, whereby the opportunity of finding the position of the true notches by feeling is entirely prevented; and I put the case of my lock together by a double screw-flange, that is held from turning by the entering of the hasp but when the lock is open the case` can be un- Screwed and the lock changed in its combination. v

In the drawings, a is the side plate of the lock.

b is a circular flange (or a) with a screwthread, b', round its interior surface, receiving the iiange c on theA otherlock-plate, d,which ange c has ascrew-thread around its exterior surface.

e is the hasp on a pin, l, and the end ofthe hasp passes into a mortise formed through both flanges?) and c, so that the lock cannot be taken apart when the hasp is in its place; but when unlocked the two flanges can be separated by unscrewing, in order to obtain access to the interior of the lock. In place of a continuous Screw-thread the iianges b and c might be connected by intermediate screwthreads or lugs, the hasp preventing their being disconnected by turning, except when the lock is open.

f and f are tumblers set ou arbors 2 and 3, the arbor 3 being formed as a pipe to pass the arbor 2, for the purpose aforesaid.

g is a dial, pointer, or index of any suitable character to the tumbler f, and g is a similar device to the tumbler f. The tumblers or dials are connected to their respective arbors by a polygonal opening 4in the center, taking a correspondingly-shaped end on the arbor; and 4 is a nut holding the tumblers together. By loosening this nut the tumblers can be lifted ofi" and replaced after having partially turned, so4 that the index or dialg or g will occupy a differentfposition to the notch or opening in the tumbler controlling the bolt or hasp, and thereby the lock can be set to open on a different combination.

In the lock shown in the drawings there are four tumblers shown, two on each plate, a and d, made in the aforesaid manner; but it will be evident that three concentric tumblers may be employed on one or both sides, and that the number of tumblers may be increased at pleasure by the use of pipeshaped arbors,one

within the other. On the tumblers are annular flanges 5 5, with notches or openings, as at 6 6, and on the hasp e are projections 7 7. By turning the tumblers so that the openings 6 6 are in the proper position they will pass the projecti1es7 7 as the hasp is shut down, and then by turning the tumblers around indiscriminately the hasp is firmly retained by said iianges 5 taking over the projections 7' unt-il'the tumblers have been so placed from the outside by means of the dials g that the' said notches 6 6 are all on the line ofthe projections 7, when the hasp can be Withdrawn. The teeth or decoy notches (shown at 8 8) prevent any person from discovering Where the notches 6 6 are by turning said tumblers and feeling for the said notches, and, in view of the peculiar arrangement of the tumblers, effect an operation similar to tbatin apermutationlock.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Uniting and retainingthe external plates, a and d, of the lock together by means of the flanges b and c, screw-threaded, or with lugs formed thereon, as described, and hasp e, substantially as set forth.

2. Two Vor more circular tumblers with turned-np flanges, placed one Within the other, and each connected with a separate dial or pointer, in combination with the lock-case constructed as above set forth.

3. In combination with circular tumblers with turned-up anges, and hasp e, formed as 4 described, the decoy notches and teeth formed on the inner side of the said anges, for the purposes specified.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 8th day of March, 1862.

THOS. GEO. HAROLD. A|:L.s.] f

Witnesses:

E. H. BRIDGHAM, LEMUEL W. SERRELL. 

